Queenstown District Court News - April

A Cromwell man who bit his wife during a brutal assault has been sent to jail.

Glen Andrew Gauldie, 42, was sentenced two two and a half years' jail when he appeared for sentencing before Judge Michael Turner in the Queenstown District Court yesterday for injuring with intent to injure during a 10-minute assault on February 26.

It was his sixth serious violence conviction against his wife and a protection order was granted.

The judge said Gauldie's history of violence towards his wife was appalling, including a two-year jail sentence imposed in 2012 for injuring with intent to injure, assault with a weapon and assaulting a female.

On February 26, Gauldie was at home when his wife returned from work and soon after there was a heated argument. He grabbed her, shoved her to the floor and pinned her down while he punched her repeatedly in the face and stomach. She struggled and her he bit her forearm below the elbow, breaking the skin. She suffered black eyes and contusions.

"You have an appalling history of violence towards your wife. I have real reservations as to whether you have any proper appreciation for the harm you have caused your wife and whether remorse is genuine. You are an extremely violent person.

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"This was a lengthy attack, some 10 minutes in duration, that occurred in the victim's home. There was an enormous breach of trust. You're supposed to show her love and tenderness, not brutality."

The judge said he regarded a letter to the court as a last-ditch effort to garner sympathy. He also imposed one month's jail to be served concurrently for an unrelated charge of disorderly behaviour.

Indecent assault

Sean Graeme Duffy, 20, bartender, of Cardrona, was sentenced to eight months' jail for indecently assaulting a female on December 31. The 17-year-old victim noticed Duffy, who was drunk and injured in the Queenstown gardens at 11pm. When she tried to help he was aggressive, fell into a stream but got up, grabbed her and verbally abused her. He grabbed her arms, held her wrists then grabbed her tights and pulled her underwear. She managed to get away by elbowing him. The judge granted leave to apply for a substitute sentence if there was a suitable home detention address. Duffy was also ordered to complete extensive counselling and pay $500 for emotional harm.

Theft in a special relationship

Nicole Healy, 39, clerk, of Kingston, was remanded on bail for sentence on May 5 for accessing a Westpac online account and business account dishonestly, three counts of using a credit card to commit theft and using a BNZ business account to commit theft on dates between November and March. A police summary of facts said Healy was gambling online and the victim was the owner of a Queenstown business. He ran business accounts through Westpac, changing to BNZ about August. He kept Westpac credit card and accounts open for historic debtors. In September, he cut up the credit card but, around the same time, he employed Healy as an administrative accounts clerk, with duties including payment of bills. On February 25, the business owner checked online accounts with Westpac and discovered significant transactions amounting to $15,290 between December 12 and February 25.

Drugs

George Edward Halson, 22, of Arthurs Pt, was remanded for sentence on June 16 for supplying cannabis to persons under the age of 18 between September 1 and October 16, selling cannabis between December 1 and March 8 and possessing cannabis on October 16.

Paul Francis Wilton, 49, of Wanaka, was fined $500 for cultivating cannabis and possessing ecstasy on December 1.

Fraud

Darryl John Bennett, 33, builder, of Milburn, was remanded in custody for sentence on June 30 for a string of fraud and theft offences; causing a loss by deception of $720 between October 11 and 12, causing a loss of $969.51 to a motel in Dunedin between March 10 and 12, causing a loss of $470 between February 22 and 23 in Blenheim, causing a loss of $60 in Queenstown on March 24, stealing $80 cash in Dunedin on March 14, stealing $600 cash in Wellington on January 23, stealing $300 cash in Blenheim on October 23 and using a forged driver's licence between February 22 and March 14.

Obtained by deception

Kyle Michael O'Conner, Irish national, was sentenced to 40 hours' community work for obtaining by deception, namely an $8.40 taxi fare.

Objectionable material

An Alexandra man facing six charges of distributing child pornography or obscene material on October 10 has entered not guilty pleas. The 22-year-old was granted continuing interim name suppression. Lawyer Sonia Vidal said there was a narrow legal issue surrounding the appropriateness of the charges in relation to distribution. Previously, the court was told the charges were likely to change to one representative charge because of the use of a peer-to-peer filesharing network. The case was adjourned to May 5.

Careless driving causing injury

David Peter Moseley, 33, maintenance worker, of Fernhill, was sentenced to 50 hours' community work, disqualified from driving for six months and ordered to pay $250 emotional harm reparation for operating a vehicle carelessly causing injury and driving while disqualified on March 2.

Drink-driving

Nicola Anne McFadgen, 45, ambulance officer, of Fernhill, was remanded for sentence on May 5 for driving with a blood alcohol level of 238mg on January 30.

Harrison Scott Dickson, 25, builder, of Frankton, was sentenced to 200 hours' community work, nine months' supervision and disqualified for nine months for driving with a breath alcohol level of 895mcg on February 26.

Patrick Thomas Biddle, 31, US national, 120mg on December 26. Fined $600 and disqualified for six months.